East Timor conducive for polls, election officials say

By Editha Hartanto

DILI, East Timor (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid and General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman Rudini asserted on Saturday that the June 7 general election should go ahead in East Timor.

"The situation is safe enough, and conducive for the elections," Syarwan, in a comment seconded by Rudini, said during a brief visit to the province, which has been plagued by armed conflicts between forces for and against separation from Indonesia.

At least 87.13 percent, or 397,237, of the 468,064 eligible voters in East Timor have registered for the polls, according to Governor Abilio Soares.

Fifteen of the 48 eligible political parties are contesting the elections in East Timor, with prominent parties such as the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Golkar the most aggressive in conducting their campaigns, Abilio said.

Syarwan dismissed reported intimidation of groups which did not support elections in the province. He said the people's vote was still needed to form a legitimate government.

Local residents gave differing opinions on the value of the polls. Juanita, a civil servant in the gubernatorial office, believed the results would not bring many changes to the province.

"The price of a legislative seat here will be far 'cheaper' as only a small number of people will take part in the ballot," she said. "Many residents left the area months ago because of the unstable situation here.

"I'll stay and vote because my family has no place to go. This land is our home."

Mario Diaz, a 24-year-old student, said he and his family would vote. "This is a multiparty era and I think we have the right to participate."

Private employee Santos Sarmento was less enthusiastic. "I think more about how to stay alive and hold a steady job. It's hard because everything is so uncertain."

The United Nations is sponsoring a direct ballot, planned for August, to determine East Timorese acceptance of Jakarta's offer of wide-ranging autonomy.

Apart from the June 7 elections, according to Syarwan, the most important agenda for the province is dissemination of information on Jakarta's proposed autonomy.

"There must not be use of force or violence to press people. Let them decide for themselves," he added.

During the visit, the KPU announced an additional two legislative seats to the previous allotment of four for East Timor. "Maybe another seat will be allocated, depending on further developments," said Rudini.

The East Timor Provincial Election Committee has demanded more seats in the House. Rudini said the three extra seats provided the province were reassigned from East Kalimantan, Riau and Lampung.

"Riau and Lampung each had one extra seat after it was found that the number of regencies there was smaller than that listed by the Ministry of Home Affairs," he said.

According to the Elections Law, each regency in the country's 27 provinces is entitled to one provincial legislative seat.

East Timor, with 13 regencies and a population of 891,000, is actually eligible for 13 legislative seats.

Rudini continued to the East Java capital of Surabaya where he met with East Java Governor Imam Utomo and local poll committee officials. They reported a total of 21,811,625 registered voters, or 91.34 percent of those eligible, in the province, including about 16,000 Madurese refugees who fled ethnic discord in Sambas, West Kalimantan, earlier this year.

"We are ready for the polls. But shortcomings, such as defective ballot papers, have to be handled soon," Imam said.

On Aceh, Syarwan said that delaying the elections in the three troubled regencies of North Aceh, East Aceh and Pidie would not undermine the validity of the general election's results.

Rudini said the results would be declared legitimate if two thirds of the 48 parties signed off on them.

"And I think none of the parties would want to cancel the poll results just because small parts of the country have a delay.

"We are ready for all possibilities. A delayed vote within 30days after the balloting is allowed as stated in the Elections Law. It will all depend on the situation on the ground in those areas," Rudini said.

The government is considering postponing the polls in the three regencies because of rising reports of violence that the military attributes to the Free Aceh Movement.

Only about 20 percent of the 2,326,432 eligible voters in the province are registered.

Antara reported on Sunday that the United Development Party (PPP) and Golkar carried out campaigning in Central Aceh, mobilizing about 1,000 and 750 supporters at their respective sites.

The news agency also reported from the Southeast Maluku regency of Tual -- which witnessed recent bloody Muslim-Christian conflicts that killed more than 130 -- that only one of eight districts has received ballots.